send someone to the showers

present singular third person sends someone to the showers · participle present sending someone to the showers · participle past sent someone to the showers · past sent someone to the showers

1. idiomatichobbiesTo remove a player from a particular team competition before the conclusion of the event, especially because that player's contribution on this occasion has been below his or her expected level of performance.

   Gerrard was sent to the showers 10 minutes into the second half, replaced by his Liverpool team-mate Jordan Henderson.

   2013 November 20, Kevin Garside, “England 0 Germany 1”, in The Independent, UK, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   3 more examples

   [H]e was able to pitch out of trouble until the eighth, when a single by LF Randy Winn and double by 2B Bret Boone sent him to the showers.

   2004 September 29, “Mariners game at a glance”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   The umpires’ ruling precipitated a wild protest […]and three straight run-scoring hits off Pelfrey that sent him to the showers after a six-run inning.

   2010 July 5, Mark Viera, “Reds 8, Mets 6: Pelfrey Comes Undone After a Reversed Call”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   Orr, in the first row behind the photographers, said something and Smart stepped to him and pushed him with both hands. […]Sending Smart to the showers—or instructing arena security to eject the fan—would have been a move in the name of safety.

   2014 February 9, Roger Rubin, “Marcus Smart, Texas Tech fan shove fiasco handled poorly”, in New York Daily News, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

2. broadlyidiomaticTo remove or expel someone from a job, position, or activity, especially because of poor behavior or performance.

   Lucky John Sununu. […]Given the thin bench of replacements, no wonder Bush doesn't want to send him to the showers.

   1991 July 7, Newsweek Staff, “Chief Of Staff Edition”, in Newsweek, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   3 more examples

   The Federal Trade Commission in recent years has seldom struck out. […]But last fortnight the FTC was caught way off base, sent red-faced to the showers.

   1941 February 3, “Government: FTC Boner”, in Time, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has returned. […]Having been sent to the showers during last year’s disastrous campaign to place the nation’s seniors on a voucher program, Ryan is back.

   2012 March 21, Rick Ungar, “RyanCare 2.0-Still Shifting Health Care Costs Onto The Backs Of Our Elderly”, in Forbes, retrieved 08 Jul 2014

   Silver needed to be bold and decisive and he was unquestionably both in sending the lout Donald Sterling to the showers with a lifetime ban on Tuesday.

   2014 April 29, Mitch Lawrence, “Donald Sterling's racist behavior has been habitual for years”, in New York Daily News, retrieved 08 Jul 2014